San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-06-16
WITH A PANTHER
THRILLING STORY TOLD BY A WIS
coNslN PIONEER. -

coNSlN PIONEER. - -
A Baekwoods Lad Makes tho Acquaint
nnco OF an Overgrown. GOOD Natured
"Cat"-An OmInous GrowIing-A III
oneer In Barn. d,
..'when I was lad Of TO-" says Slns
Smith, an old pioneer Of Wisconsin, my
father removed 10 this state from New
England and settled about three miles
from Madison. The place was q village
then, and a small ono at that, and re-
member once seeing n deer running down
the main street with a dozen dogs after
him. The road from the village 10 our
clearing was little better than n path.
There were only two farmers having oxen
and wagons, and 10 there was little use
for roads Just Mt the edge Of the woods
outside the village was log barn belong
ing TO a storekcepcr named Roberts, That
was the last building we passed going
home, aud the first one come TO as we en-
tered the village clearing. From that
stable 10 my fathers house, three miles,
there WINS only one break In the forest,
and that was on n ten acre clearing.
"After having passed over the route
several times with my father, ] was per-
mitted 10 travel IL alone whenever any
thing was wanted from town. After q
time / could have almost followed the
trail with my eyes shut, and had no fear
Of the wolves and panthcrs heard talked
about, because 1 was told that no wild
beast eyer attacked people by daylight.
1t was one OF the first days Of October
that, as was about half way through the
woods on an GRAND TO the village, and the
time being midforcnoon, n panther sprang
from the limbs of large beech under
which / was passing, and alighted upon
the ground beside me. There was not
even n growl to warn me Of his presence,
and he dropped down beside me as softly
as u cat and as good natured as u rabbit.
! had never heard n panther described,
and, while suspected this was one, was
not sure. He jumped into the path ahead
of me and began TO Zigzag back and forth
across Il, purring all the time like n cat,
and seeming TO be highly pleased when
my legs rubbed against him.
A GOOD NATURED Goat"
81 was a bit frightened ut first, but
after II few minutes made up my mind
That II was some animal which would not
hurt me, and then We had romping
time. l would clap my hands and shout
Sick 'emp and the panther would 90
.skurrying here and there like young
pup, sometimes rolling over and over on
the leaves, and again making such leaps
and bounds as excited my admiration.
When we came to level piece Of ground
] ran rnce with him, and when he got
into the patch ahead of me ! seized the
tip of his tail and hung on and laughed
until the woods rang. On two or three
occasions, as the panther was gamboling
about me, he made clean spring right
over my head.
at was only when we reached the edge
of the village clearing that suspected the
identity of my visitor. The near presence
of other human beings seemed To- anger
him, and he snarled and growled and tore
at the ground with his claws. Ipatted him
on the back and smoothed his fur, and he
began purring again and WIS restored to
good nature He trotted alongside of mo
about half way to the barn have men
toned, and then slipped away into
some fallen timber. / had been quite |
badly frightened for some minutes and |
now seized this chance to make off Ny |
movements were FASTENED by an ominous
growing from the timber, and / walked |
off ut n fast puce, and was within few |
steps when | heard fierce scream and |
turned my head and saw the great cat |
bounding toward me. The door of the |
barn was partly open, and without an in
stant's reflection l sprang inside and
closed It, Before I could have counted
twenty the panther was at hand Luckily
for me 1t was II strong, rough door, made
of slabs and well put together The beast
made terrific efforts TO get in, and his
sharp claws made the splinters fly as he !
set them into the wood, There was no I
inside fastening and had to brace with
all my might to prevent his ingress. He
was now worked up into q fury, and /
believe every hair Of my head stood on
end as fought to keep him out.
THROUGH THE ROOF.
'yVhen the panther found that he could
not get in by the door he sprang upon the
roof. heard him as he alighted on the
shocks, and, facing about, / saw there
was square hole in the roof, left for n
never built. There was nothing to
prevent him leaping down, and this is just
what he intended doing. / saw his shadow
rs he peered over the edge of the OPEN
ing, and was all ready as his 1.-THE body
alighted OH the floor. In two winks | was
outside aud had the door pulled to, and
again he was foilcd. He was mad and no
and, although was u young boy
and almost upset with fear, ] had sense
enough left to be OH the watch for him.
The caves of the building were so short
that, standing by the door, which had u
button outside and an old strap nailed TO
he inside to pull it shut, could see the
.idge pole.
SIN two or three minutes i heard tho
,latter of claws rs the beast went up the
ogs, and the moment half his body showed
through the opening | changed my posi-
Ion to the inside, lie came down tho
'oof, sphttering and growing, and again
made / fierce attack on the door. | was
90 mitch for him, and he again tried tho
'oof and the chimney hole. lie came
Town and went out, ana he went up and
came in, He was at the door, startling
n way to send shivers up and down my
pack, when heard the report Of rifle
md directly two men came running up.
The shot had been fatal, and the panther
vas dead. The men were going 10 the
woods to hunt, and, although close ut
land, the panther had not noticed them.
There was at that time bounty Of $50, |
hink, on panther's scalp, and, while the
men claimed this, they gave me the skin
o reward my part in the adventure. ~
Chicago Times,
An Ideal Portrait.